\ a 


0 

/J2.4  Fkb, 


cckitjm.  TTT/.ir*  to  doctor  stills. 

A complimentary  dinner  to  'color  ’)aniol  A.  II* 
teelo  was  riven  by  hie  personal  friendr  "on da;  evening, 
'ebruary  1,  19ir>f  at  hotel  Lahalle  • 

Dr.  Charles  S«  Baoon  acted  as  Tons tor ter* 

In  his  introductory  remarks  'r.  B con  raid: 

Dr.  I. teelo  and  his  friends*  .7c  have  com©  hero  tills 
veninr  to  pay  our  friends  ip  to  Dr.  teele.  During  • is  life 
Dr.  r teele  has  accomplished  many  tilings*  I ave  a list  of 
the  things  ho  has  done  and  the  honors  he  has  receive  a,  hu  u I 
do  not  think  it  is  no  coscar,  to  read  that  list  tonight.  All 
of  , on  knot  what  he  has  done*  In  his  profession  and  in  t .o 
school  with;  which  ho  is  aconneeted  he  has  accnm,  lished  what 
he  has  set  out  to  do,  and  I believe  we  will  all  agree  that 
the  chief  characteristic  of  teele  is  efficiency.  ’ at  ever 
he  undertakes  ha  carries  through,  and  he  undertakes  many 
thing 8 and  big  things,  especially  the  work  he  has  done  in 
the  school  with  wide!  he  lias  boon  connected  nearly  all  of  ' is 
professional  life.  On  other  occasions  and  in  other  places 
t is  work  has  been  appreciated  and  praised.  It  is  ot  t e 
purpose  of  this  meeting  to  dwell  particularly  upon  that  phase 
of  his  orroer,  :o  meet  0 imply  . s friends  to  bring  our 
tribute  ol  friendship. 

In  that  charming  little  dialogue  of  lato*o  lysis 
focrates  discourses  in  his  charming r ay  about  rionDehip. 

He  says: "From  my  childhood  I have  always  desir.  d a certain 
thing  as  othert  have  desired  something  else,  while  some  wish 


-2- 


% 


for  a horse  or  a dog  or  for  honors  or  for  gold,  I have  never 
cared  for  those  things,  hut  I prefer  very  much  a personal 
friend  to  the  best  quail  or  cock  in  the  world,  and  by  Jupiter, 
then,  be  it  honor  or  a dog,  I prefer  the  wealth  of  friendship.” 

He  then  discusses  with  Lysis  and  his  companions  the 
nature  of  friendship  with  a great  deal  of  confusion  and  sums 
up  as  foil ox"S j " If  neither  those  that  love  nor  those  that  are 
loved,  nor  like,  nor  unlike,  nor  good,  norfchose  that  belong 
to  us,  nor  any  other,  then  I have  nothing  to  say . I am  afraid 
we  have  made  ourselves  ridiculous  by  meeting  together  and  dis- 
cussing friendship  and  not  knowing  what  it  is." 

It  is  possible  we  shall  have  the  same  experience 
tonight,  but  I think  it  is  worth  a trial  , and  to  discover 
what  friendship  is  I think  we  may  begin  with  a neighbor  . 

Smerson  saySj" 

"Uor  knowest  thou  what  argument. 

Thy  life  to  thy  neighbor's  creed  hath  lent; 

All  are  needed  by  each  one , 

nothing  is  fair  or  good  alone." 

And  then  Pliny  gives  as  Cato's  maxim, "Always  act 
in  such  a way  as  to  secure  the  love  of  your  neighbor." 

Again,  when  one  speaks  of  Jonathan  he  always  thinks 
of  David,  and  when  one  mentions  ythias  he  thinks  of  Damon, 
so  that  when  we  speak  of  Steele  we  unconsciously  think  of  Quine, 
and  if  there  is  anyone  in  the  world  who  can  speak  of  Steele 

68  a neighbor  in  the  broad  sense  of  the  term,  I thin!  it  is 


, 


• , , . 


. 


- 

' 


m 


-6- 

Quine.  He,  like  oteele,  has  that  faculty  of  drawing  to  him- 
f elf  and  of  holding  them  firmly  a host  of  friends.  He  has 
known  Steel  for  many,  many  years,  and  he  has  a faculty  which 
is  given  to  so  few  of  us,  a gift  that  is  rarely  found,  that 
of  the  silver  tongue. 

I will  ask  Dr.  ,,uine  to  speak  to  the  toast  "Steele 
As  A neighbor."  (Applause.) 

DR.  QUOTE : Mr.  Toastmaster,  Quests  of  the  Evening, 
and  Companions  in  Crime:  I know  Steele  all  right,  but  I 

am  not  going  to  give  him  away  on  this  occasion.  I have  been 
in  his  path  on  occasions  of  this  kind.  I have  tried  just 
as  conscientiously  as  my  friend  is  trying  this  evening  to 
officiate  as  a toastmaster,  and  I have  hrd  just  exactly  the 
same  kind  of  misery  that  he  is  experiencing  just  now. 

(laughter.)  When  I myself  undertook  to  officiate  as  toast- 
maE.ter  I indulged  the  notion  that  the  chief  function  of  that 
official  is  to  dispense  the  postprandial  wine  with  grace 
and  not  in  regular  jrder,  but  just  now,  after  listening  to 
the  introductory  remarks  of  the  presiding  officer  of  the 
evening,  I am  reminded  of  the  experience  of  the  tramp  who, 
after  investigating  the  environment  of  a very  promising  looking 
house,  boldly  knocked  at  the  door  and  said  to  the  lady  answerirg 

the  knock, "Madam,  may  I saw  a cord  of  wood  for  rn;  supper." 

The  villian  had  assured  himself  long  before  there  was  ho 

wood  there,  and  the  lady  replied  sternly, "We  do  not  use  wood 
here,  sir."  "Then,  Madam,  may  I bring  in  a ton  or  two  of  coal?" 


. 


, , 


. 

. 


rr 

. 


. 

- 


■ . 


. 


i .V  ■ 


■■■ 


-4- 


She  replied, "We  do  not  use  coal  here,  sir."  "Then,  'ladara, 
in  the  name  of  C-od,  may  I turn  on  the  gas?"  (Laughter.) 

And  that  I take  to  he  the  principal  function  of  the  toastmaster. 

(Renewed  laughter.)  I will  not  deny  that  I am  well  qualified 
to  speak  to  this  sentiment "The  neighbor,"  for  I have  lived 
in  the  same  house  nearly  thirty  years,  and  have  not  a visiting 
acquaintance  with  three  people  on  all  four  sides  of  the  block 
in  which  I am  living.  Community  of  interest,  and  if  not  on 
ail  occasions  community  of  interest,  at  least  harmony  of 
interest,  has  kept  the  guest  of  the  evening  and  myself  in 
rather  close  companionship  for  many  and  many  a year.  ,e  got 
married  at  about  the  same  time.  We  belonged  to  the  same  base- 
ball club,  and  I have  this  to  say  for  that  club;  It  never  sold 
out  a game  in  the  whole  history  of  its  existence.  It  did  not 
have  to  sell  out  in  order  to  lose,  for  it  never  won  a single 
game.  (Laughter.)  The  rather  ostentatious  youth  who  figured 
at  the  second  base  in  that  aggregation  got  himself  in  a position 
to  receive  a grounder  that  was  sent  from  the  bat  of  one 
gentleman  on  the  other  side  of  the  contention,  but  the  grounder 
slipped  between  the  hands  of  the  pair  and  struck  him  in  a 
part  of  the  body  that  is  not  exploited  very  muchC laughter) , 
and  when  the  unfortunate  youth  had  gotten  through  vomiting, 
the  person  who  had  knocked  the  ball  had  made  the  circuit  of 
the  bases  three  times.  I was  the  player  myself  retired  on 
that  occasion.  (Laughter.) 

The  Toastmaster  hasreferred  to  a list  of  the  achieve- 
ments of  our  beloved  and  honored  friend,  jf  he  really  did 


. 


t 

. 


. 

■ 

* 


. 

. 

. 

. 


. 


i . 


' 


, 

' . 


-5- 


accomplish  the  things  mentioned  and  on  the  list,  then  as  a 
neighbor  I have  got  to  get  some  tips.  ell,  to  have  stood 
shoulder  to  shoulder  in  many  and  many  an  effort,  have  made 
sacrifices  together,  and  like  other  honest  people  v/ho  do 
their  own  thinking,  occasionally  we  have  found  ourselves  on 
different  sides  of  a problem  and  have  threshed  it  out  with 
s irit  and  determination,  he  smiting  me  hip  and  thigh,  or 
in  that  immediate  vicinity,  and  I smiting  him  to  the  best 
of  ability,  but  never  in  any  instance  was  a difference  of 
this  kind  allowed  to  degenerate  into  a personality,  for 
in  every  instance  each  was  contending  for  a principle  or  a 
cause  and  contending  for  the  adoption  of  his  own  point  of 
view. 

Every  medical  man  in  the  room  knows  more  or  less  abort 
the  intimacy  of  the  connection  of  the  guest  of  the  evening 
and  myself  in  relation  to  the  history  of  the  College  of 
Medicine  of  the  University  of  Illinois.  I have  perhaps 
gotten  into  a little  closer  personal  relation  with  him  than 
most  of  you  who  have  had  an  opportunity  to  do.  Efficiency — 

yes,  none  better.  Courage — yes,  none  better.  If  there  is 
one  man  in  the  whole  range  of  y acquaintance  upon  whos  e 
fidelity  i would  be  willing  to  count  to  the  very  death,  it 
is  old  Steele  (applause),  and  we  have  been  through  the  fire 
many  and  many  a time,  and  each  has  had  all  the  opportunity 
out  of  doors  to  show  the  white  feather.  Old  Steele — nix,  not 
once,  and  I have  come  to  regard  this  quality  of  fidelity  not 


merely  personal  fidelity—  jdont  mean  that;  i mean  fidelity 


. 

. 


, 

f 

- 


, 7; ) : 

. 


. - • 
- 


. 


■ 


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■ 


. 

- 


. 


. 


. 

. 

* 


. 


to  a cause;  I mean  standing  for  a fact,  and  without  any  regard 
at  all  to  the  demands  of  friendship,  and  without many  regard 
at  all  for  any  assaults  of  enmity,  he  has  stood  by  the  fact 
and  contended  for  a cause  and  saw  it  through  to  the  very  end, 
That's  Steele  as  I know  him. 

As  one  gets  on  in  years, you  know, and  begins  to 
indulge  in  a little  retrospection  and  sees  how  very  little  his 
own  life  has  amounted  to,  he  tries  to  derive  comfort  from 
the  reflection  that  even  a member  of  the  medical  profession 
who  is  able  to  show  the  negative  merit  of  having  done  no  harm, 
is  highly  deserving  of  the  approbation  and  the  confidence  of 
his  professional  brethren  • ’To  have  lived  merely  a blameless 
life;  to  have  done  not  one  thing  in  thirty  or  thirty- five 
years  of  bustling  activity  in  the  presence  of  all  his  pro- 
fessional brethren,  to  which  any  man  or  any  woman  can  point 
with  the  finger  of  accusation  — to  have  lived  in  that  way 
and  shown  that  negative  merit  of  having  done  no  harm  to  his 
chosen  profession  in  relation  to  himself,  that  is  about  all 
the  comfort  I can  get  out  of  life  for  mg  self  in  indulging  that 
notion,  but  it  is  well  worth  considering  for  the  humble  members 
of  the  medical  profession.  If  they  merely  uphold  the  honor 
and  the  dignity  of  their  calling  by  the  very  primitive  progress 
of  upholding  their  own  honor  and  dignity  as  members  of  that 
profession  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  an  active  career, 
that  of  itself  is  enough  to  deserve  the  highest  conuen&ation 
of  one’s  professional  brethren.  Kindly,  generous,  loyal. 


devoted,  with  a full  measure  of  the  love  and  confidence  of 


. 


. 

. 

. 

' ■ ; 


- 


. . 

, 

r 

- 

' 


. 


. 


- 


-7- 


the  people  to  whom  he  has  boon  min  let  ©ring  for  man;  and  many 
a year,  these  things  our  friend  is  in  a position  to  contemplate 
right  net?  , and  as  the  years  go  on  and  on  and  Ms  mind  is 
disposed  to  dwell  more  and  more  upon  the  past,  taking  a fear- 
less glanco  nor  and  then  into  the  future,  it  is  pretty  certain 
that  he  will  learn  to  esteem,  as  I am  learning  to  osteon, 
the  love  and  confidence  of  my  professional  brethren  and  of 
the  community  at  large  whose  ailments  I have  been  trying  to 
reliove  for  many  end  many  a year,  Those  are  among  the  very 
dearest  and  the  most  desirable  of  all  the  compensations  of 
a member  of  the  medical  profession,  and  if  any  of  you  are 
aiming  and  exerting  yourselves  to  achieve  the  full  measure 
of  victory,  comfort  and  satisfaction  in  the  hey-d«gr  years 
of  your  life,  I tell  you  it  will  be  necessary  to  go  some  and 
a long  time  before  you  will  stand  in  the  position  which  I know 
our  friend  Steele  now  occupies,  (Applause.) 

I have  been  * 1th  him,  and  I do  not  sop;  this  with 
any  levity  or  indifference  of  spirit  , or  as  a mere  mattor 
of  form,  but  I say  it  with  all  the  sincerity  of  my  capacity 
and  friendship,  that  I trust  he  will  still  live  many  and  many 
a year  to  witness  other  manifestations  of  the  love  and  friend- 
ship of  his  professional,  brethren.  (Loud  applause,) 

THA  TQASTMAS EBD:  I hope  X>r.  Steele  and  "Or*  nine 
will  rxc use  me .for  the  sake  of  accuracy,  I am  goln'  to  make 
one  correction  in  Dr, Maine's  remarks.  It  is  not  thi  ty  or 

thirt;  -five  yea  s that  pp^teele  has  b en  in  the  profession. 


* 


# 


rv 


4;  V 


-8- 


# 


He  "began  before  he  was  tventy»one,  and  in  eight  years  he  will 
have  reached  a landmark.  I think  it  was  in  1873  that  he  began 
his  work. 

DR.  QUINE:  But  he  is  older  than  that.  (Laughter.) 

THE  TOASTMASTER:  Some  months  ago  Dr.  Steele  asked 
me  to  see  a young  married  woman  who  was  having  a rather  stormy 
time  in  her  pregnancy.  He  told  me  she  ras  the  daughter  of 
an  old  patient  of  his,  and  he  brought  her  into  the  world  . 

I rent  to  the  house  and  there  found  the  mother  with  the  young 
patient . The  mother  received  me  very  politely  but  rather 
coldly,  and  she  could  not  refrain  from  expressing  to  me  her 
regret  that  Dr.  Steele  himself  could  no*c  come  to  see  her 
daughter.  She  rent  on  and  confided  to  me  that  Steele  had 
always  been  the  physician  that  they  had  called  upon  and  she 
said,  "He  was  with  us  when  my  father  and  mother  died,  and  he 
was  with  me  when  my  husband  died,  and  was  with  me  in  treating 
three  of  my  children,  and  so  far  as  myself  is  concerned,  I 
could  never  have  anybody  but  Dr.  Steele.  (Laughter.) 

I found  a similar  sentiment  prevalent  among  the 
other  patie nts  of  Dr. Steele  throughout  the  city.  That  indicates 
to  me  that  there  is  something  in  medicine  after  all,  and  that 
an  inspired  counsellor  and  advisor  is  perhaps  the  ideal  phys- 
ician after  all. 

We  have  the  opportunity  of  having  someone  speak  to 
the  torst  "Steele  As  A Physician,"  who  himself  is  able  to  take 
a broad  view  of  the  meaning  of  physician.  His  horizon  is 

not  limited  by  any  bounds  of  physic.  He  himself  has  known 


. 


. 

: ' e»  AC 

v 


. 


, 

. 


, 

* . 

. 

■ 

. 

. 

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■ • ' c 


-9- 


Gteele  for  many  years y and  I take  great  pleasure  in  asking 
Dr.  Billings  to  respond  to  the  toast  "Steele  As  A Physician." 

(Applause.) 

1)2,  BILL IUGG : hr.  Toastmaster,  Gentlemen  and  Dr. 
Steele j I was  both  glad  and  sorry  when  I rae  requested 
to  speak  tonight.  Sorry  because  I did  not  feel  I could 
do  justice  to  the  subject;  glad  because  my  relations  with 
Dr.  stecle  for  many  years  have  been  such  that  I am  glad  to 
tell  him  in  a few  words  something  of  ra;  opinion  of  hi  * as 
a physician.  Mr.  Toastmaster  and  Gentlemen.  I hope  you  will 
pardon  me  if  there  is  something  personal  in  my  remarks,  as 
it  cannot  be  otherwise  in  much  of  what  I shall  have  to  scy  . 

when  I began  the  study  of  medicine  in  Chicago 
Dr.  gtoele  was  then  a young  practitioner.  I) r.  nine  and  Dr. 
Steele  were  two  of  my  teachers.  They  were  then  in  active 
practice,  young  as  they  both  were,  both  young  in  years  and 
young  in  professional  life.  At  the  same  time,  both  of  them 
had  already  succeeded;  both  of  them  had  more  than  a living 
practice,  he  students  soon  learned  to  know  the  teachers 
In  the  school  and  those  who  were  more  or  loss  prosperous, 
and  those  who  wore  not.  In  that  day  the  practitioners  wore 
a peculiar  dress  in  modicino.  Quine  and  Steele  both  wore  long 
frock  coats;  % dont  know  how  long  they  were,  and  these  coats 
had  forty  or  fifty  buttons,  the  coat  being  buttoned  up  in  front, 
find  as  I looked  at  them  and  some  others  who  wore  the  sorao 
dress,  I think  they  must  have  copied  the  style  from  Dr. Jewell 

of  that  day,  and  he  was  a Jewel  in  every  sense  of  the  v/ord,  even 


4 


* 


-10- 


though  be  wore  such  a dress . In  his  later  years  he  discarded 
it  for  the  conventional  swallow-tail,  and  always  wore  it. 

We  heard  of  what  our  teachers  did  in  those  days. 

I remember  one  of  the  stories  that  went  around  about  Steele 
at  the  time.  Some  other  young  doctor  had  been  colled  out 
to  Archer  Hoad  to  see  a child,  and  the  mother  asked  him  after 
he  was  through  how  much  it  was,  and  he  said  two  dollars.  She 
said,  "Git  out  wid  ye,  I can  get  Doctor  Steele  for  that,  and  he 
has  a horse  and  buggy, "and  he  braced  himself  and  ducked .( Laughter .) 

Dr.  Steele  as  a physician,  I am  very  glad  the 
committee  chose  that  word,  but  I will  speak  of  Dr.  SteeL e 
as  a surgeon,  for  as  I have  knonn  him  now  for  thirty -eight 
years,  he  has  been  more  than  a surgeon  all  of  that  time. 

Early,  when  I first  knew  him,  he  taught  sometimes  surgery, 
and  sometimes  medicine.  Within  ray  life  as  a student  and 
as  an  intern,  he  also  taught  gynecology  and  obstetrics,  and 
in  all  of  those  he  was  a teacher.  In  the  dispensary  on 
the  south  side,  when  I wasa  student,  he  taught  as  few  of  the 
men  there  taught.  He  taught  us  in  a natural  way.  That  is 
one  of  the  first  things  I learned — how  to  approach  disease;  it 
did  not  make  any  difference  in  that  day  whether  we  made  an 
absolute  diagnosis  or  not,  if  we  could  learn  how  to  examine 
a patient,  and  the  first  man  I ever  saw  who  got  at  the  idea 
of  the  natural  method  of  examining  patients  and  teaching  students 
was  Dr.  Steele.  That  was  more  important  to  us  than  knowing 
exactly  what  was  the  matter  with  a patient  at  that  time.  It 
is  important  to  know  how.  He  continued  that  practice  through 

experience  with  him  as  my  attending  physician  in  the  cook 


- 


. 

/ 


. 


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. 


(.  - o > i i:  wfto 

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. 

. 

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County  Hospital. 

Another  thing  that  impressed  me  with  nteelo,  and 
I think  I have  profited  by  the  lesson,  is  that  he  was  a 
gentleman.  It  did  rot  make  any  difference  to  htoele  if  a 
patient  was  a dispensary  patient;  I never  heard  Steele  ray 
a cross  word  to  a patient  if  objecting  to  something  that  woe 
being  done  to  them  if  they  did  not  submit  to  it.  He  did 
it  in  a kindly  considerate  way.  be  do  not  see  that  much 
In  America  or  in  .ingland.  Shat  is  the  custom  in  France*  Fhere 
physicians  are  gentle,  kindly  and  courteous  to  their  out- 
patients and  in  their  hospital  work.  : teele  nover  said  a 
word  about  this*  He  never  said  a word  to  us  that  we  should 
treat  pool"  patients  in  that  way,  but  it  was  his  own  dinner 
of  doing  that  sort  of  thing.  Ho  student  would  dare  expose 
a patient  unnecessarily  or  say  an  unkind  word  to  a patient 
in  the  presence  of  c teele*  Many  a time  in  the  obstetrical 
department  of  the  Cook  County  Hog  ital  I have  seen  Steele 
control  his  patient  with  kind  words,  said  in  those  dsys  things 
v ore  not  as  they  are  now*  While  wo  wore  clean  in  a sense  of 
the  word,  we  wore  not  clean,  and  so  we  had  sepsis  quite  o ten, 
and  to  control  a patient  through  and  do  it  in  such  a kind  vqy 
was  one  of  the  characteristics  of  this  men.  I have  never 
forgotten  the  lesson* 

r.  teelo  was  the  first  man  who  taught  me  physical 
diagnosis,  lie  taught  me  in  the  dispensary  when  a student,  and 
at  the  County  Hospital. 


Before  I apeak  of  his  attainments,!  wish  to  mention 


< 


* 


-12- 


another  characteristic  of  this  man.  Steele  was  kind  to-goung 
men  of  the  profession  who  had  not  yet  earned  their  wqy  . .Then 
I started  out  in  practice  , if  he  met  me,  he  would  say, "How 
are  you  getting  along?”  and  cheer  me  on  the  way,  and  sometimes 
send  a patient  to  the  young  doctor.  He  did  not  do  that  to 
me  alone,  hut  he  has  done  it  with  hundreds  of  men,  and  whenever 
he  had  an  opportunity  to  make  a place  for  a younger  man  he 
would  do  so.  He  has  made  places  in  his  clinic  for  them.  He 
has  given  them  work  to  do  in  private  practice.  e has  net 
only  done  that,  hut  he  has  not  been  afraid  of  such  practitioners. 
He  has  had  no  fear  of  the  young  man  getting  something  that 
belonged  to  him.  He  has  not  said  so  to  him,  hut  he  has  made 
the  young  man  feel  encouraged  to  go  01.  and  do  the  best  he  could. 
He  has  gone  so  far  as  to  sty  to  a young  practitioner, "If  there 
is  anything  you  can  do  better  than  I do,  you  will  get  it." 

Any  man  who  has  that  broad  and  unselfish  spirit  will  never  lose 
by  doing  that  sort  of  thing,  because  the  men  he  brings  up  around 
him  in  that  way  are  his  students,  and  all  of  them  are  glad 
to  call  Steele  their  teacher  and  master. 

Then,  another  characteristic  the  rest  of  you  have 
noted  is  that  Steele  has  been  in  practice  forty-two  years,  and 
while  his  name  is  mentioned  occasionally  in  the  public  prints, 
it  is  not  notorious.  His  name  does  not  appear  in  the  public 
prints  as  frequentlyas  do  the  names  of  some  others,  and  yet 
when  compared  with  the  men  who  so  frequently  appear  in  the  public 
prints  from  the  standpoint  o£L  his  knowledge  of  medicine  and 


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-13- 


surgery  and  his  standing  in  the  profession,  he  need  not  look 
up  at  any  of  them. 

I think  some  of  the  characteristics  of  Steal  e 
and  of  my  good  teacher  Dr.  Quine  are  partly  due  to  their 
early  associations.  They  associated  with  the  big  men  of  that 
day.  They  were  high  types  of  men.  We  have  men  now  that 
we  call  foremost  in  the  profession,  but  their  position  to&sy 
is  not  any  greater,  if  it  is  as  great,  than  the  position  of 
the  great  men  of  that  day.  When  you  stop  atfd  think  of  the 
men  associated  with  these  two  men  on  the  staff  of  the  County 
Hospital  when  I was  an  intern  there,  with  Quine  on  the  radical 
side,  Hollister  and  Curtiss,  and  not  to  he  sneered  at  for  he 
did  his  best,  P.  A.  McWilliams,  and  on  the  surgical  side 
Charles  T.  Parkes,  Moses  Gunn,  Christian  Fenger,  and  a man  that 
we  did  not  admire  much  or  respect  on  aocount  of  some  of  his 
characteristics,  yet  was  skillful  (I  refer  to  Baxter),  you 
have  some  conception  of  the  high  type  of  men  of  those  days. 

In  pathology  and  surgery  Fenger  was  the  man  of  all  men  who 
made  the  turn  in  medicine.  (Applause.)  There  was  another  big 
Dane  there  by  the  name  of  J;  cobs.  Those  were  some  of  the  men 
these  men  \?ere  on  the  staff  with. 

In  college  matters  they  were  connected  with  Davis, 
Andrews,  Johnson,  Byford,  koler  and  Isham.  Think  of  those  men 
for  a moment  and  the  places  they  occupied.  Think  of  what  they 
did  in  medicine  thirty-five  and  forty  years  ago. 

We  are  proud  of  our  three  great  medical  institutions, 
but  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  men  j have  named  these  institutions 


. 


. 

. . 

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-14- 


would  not  be  in  existence.  None  of  .you  tonight  would  he 
proud  to  he  graduates  of  those  institutions  and  continue  to 
work  in  them  as  we  do.  It  was  those  men  who  formed  character 
in  men  like  Steele,  and  if  Steele  spoke  from  his  heart  he 
would  say  to  you  that  he  profited  by  the  example  set  by  those 
men  who  were  the  embodiment  of  honesty,  who  did  right  toward 
their  fellowmen,  he  would  tell  you  that  the  training  he 
received  in  his  youth  from  them  has  made  him  the  man  he  is  todsy  . 
Trained  as  he  was,  working  in  medicine,  wo  iking  in  obstetrics, 
working  in  gynecology  as  he  did,  and  all  of  the  time  cb  ing 
more  or  less  in  surgery,  he  had  the  so  It  of  life  that  enabled 
him  to  develop  into  a surgeon  from  those  days.  That  was 
the  turning  point  from  dirty  surgery  into  clean  surgery.  It 
was  the  turning  point  by  which  the  human  body  could  be  properly- 
handled  with  impunity.  But  he  wanted  greater  opportunities, 
and  Steele  with  the  men  whom  it  is  not  necessary  to  name 
in  108?.  organised  the  college  known  as  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  and  he  gathered  around  him  men  of  his  like. 

Those  of  his  like  survived  and  continued  in  the  work  with  him  , 
and  his  purpose  was  to  make  an  opportunity  for  himself  and  to 
make  opportunities  for  bigger  work  than  he  had  been  able  to  do; 
to  give  an  opportunity  to  teach  medicine,  to  teach  surgery 
to  the  young  men,  to  train  up  associates  as  surgeons  and  to 
make  teachers  of  them,  and  in  that  he  has  accomplished  what 
he  set  out  to  do,  as  has  been  stated  here  tonight.  He  set 
out  to  do  a certain  thing  and  never  swerved  from  the  path.  He 

with  others  made  it  a great  institution — an  institution  with 


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-16- 


its  connections  should  become  the  chief  medical  educat  ional 
institution  of  the  state.  It  should  become  so,  and  I hope 
it  will.  In  those  later  years,  since  1082,  Steele  has  developed 
as  a great  Surgeon.  It  is  not  necessary/  for  me  to  toll  you 
what  he  has  accomplished # hut  as  a diagnostician  in  surgery 
he  is  second  to  none.  As  an  operator,  he  is  a surgeon,  and 
when  I use  those  two  words  I moan  something.  hen  I speak 
of  the  word  surgeon  I mean  an  operator  who  is  capable  because 
of  ris  knowledge  of  making  such  a diagnosis  as  the  internal 
medical  man  may  make,  of  understanding  the  morbid  anatomy,  the 
condition  of  his  patient,  of  being  able  as  an  operator  with 
that  knowledge  to  remove  the  disoaso  and  cure  his  patient. 

That  is  a surgeon  in  my  estimation  of  the  term,  and  rtoelo 
is  such  a surgeon,  and  he  is  so  held  by  the  members  of  the 
medical  profession,  which  carries  : ore  r eight  than  if  it  came 
from  the  laity.  I warrant  you,  if  a vote  of  the  medical 
profession  of  this  part  of  the  country  wore  taken,  f teele 
would  bo  pronounced  one  of  the  best  surgeons  in  t his  country. 
Thera  is  no  question  ar out  it.  If  it  came  to  an  expression 
from  the  laity,  on  account  of  great  notatiety,  there  are  some 
men  who  might  have  a greater  vote,  hut  from  the  profession 
whose  knowledge  of  a man  is  the  best  criterion  of  his  standing, 
we  know  where  Cteelo would  bo. 

A man  cannot  be  a good  physician  unless  he  has 
character,  unless  he  is  honest,  unless  he  will  say  to  himself, 

I will  do  unto  others  as  j would  have  them  do  unto  me.  Only 


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-16- 


7 1 #1  I'h  i 

such  a man  can  he  a great  physician  and  a great  surgeon. 

Steele  is  that  man. 

Dr.  Steele  is  young.  We  sometimes  speak  of  the 
young  old  man.  Because  Steele  has  practiced  medicine  for 
forty- two  years,  you  may  naturally  think  that  he  is  getting 
old  in  years.  But  ho  is  not.  He  is  young  yet,  and  so  when 
we  come  here  and  try  to  express  our  friendship  for  him,  it 
is  not  with  the  idea  that  this  is  the  last  expression  we  are 
going  to  give  him.  He  is  young.  He  has  many  years  of 
activity  before  him,  and  this  is  not  an  expression  of  the 
heighth  of  his  professional  activity.  Something  more  is 
coming.  Some  day  in  the  future  we  hope  we  may  again  speak 
of  Steele  when  he  is  an  elderly  man,  when  he  has  reached  seventy- 
five  or  eighty  years  of  age  or  something  like  that.  (Applause.) 

I have  not  said  much,  Dr.  Steele,  but  what  I have 
tried  to  say  has  come  from  a full  heart.  My  cerebrum  has 
not  worked  as  freely  as  I should  like  to  have  ha  d it  work, 
hut  with  a full  heart  I say  to  you  and  to  the  other  friends  here, 
that  we  do  not  feel  that  this  dinner  means  you  have  reached 
the  great  height  to  remain  there,  hut  there  is  something  more 
for  you  to  do,  something  higher  still,  and  we  hope  you  will 
continue  to  find  and  do  this  good  work,  77 e shall  hope  to  s ee 
greater  achievements  from  you,  and  finally  the  culmination 
of  your  labors  in  that  great  medical  institution  which  we 
hope  will  be  the  greatest  medical  institution  in  the  State  of 
Illinois.  (Applause.) 


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-17- 


TE 'I  TOASTMASTER:  For  convenience,  gpeneer  ha  a 
classified  institutions  into  professional,  domestic,  industrial, 
political,  military,  and  ecclesiastical.  e con  icier  that 
the  individual  is  the  clement  that  makes  op  the  institution 
just  as  the  cell  io  the  element  that  makes  up  the  hod;  ; but 
the  institutional  elements  differ  from  the  body  elements  in 
ono  respect,  in  that  they  have  affiliation,  and  so  wo  ocn 
properl,  sp eak  of  good  and  had  institutional  elements,  good 
and  had  individuals,  good  and  had  members  of  society.  In 
ever;/  res  ect,  in  all  of  these  institutions,  domestic,  ecclesias- 
tical, political,  industrial  and  professional,  steel  e is  a 
good  individual,  a good  element.  In  order  to  he  a go  old 
oloment  he  has  to  follow  certain  rules  or  laws  that  regulate 
the  activity  of  the  body,  the  institution,  just  as  the  cells 
have  to  follow  their  laws.  JTow,  I suppose,  the  chief  law  that 
regulates  the  institutional  activity  is  that  which  ?r .Billings 
has  just  given,  the  Golden  ;?nle,  "Do  unto  others  as  the; 
would  do  to  you."  That  is  the  Golden  fule  that  gteele  has 
followed,  and  that  is  what  makes  him  a good  individual,  hut 
I also  want  to  say  that  Steele  is  by  no  means  unprogressive, 
he  is  not  an  old  fogy,  and  ho  is  willing  to  accept  any  amend- 
ments or  improvements  to  the  rule,  and  while  in  general  ho 
has  adopted  the  rulo  that  was  given  many  centuries  ago,  ninotoen 
hundred  years  ago,  he  has  in  certain  instances  and  under  cer- 
tain conditions  also  adopted  an  amended  Golden  ;ti3  ft,  pro- 
claimed, as  you  know,  by  the  genial  Vankeo  philosopher  David 


. 

, 

, 

. 

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. 

. 


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■ 

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Harun,  "Do  others  as  they  would  do  you,  only  do  thorn  first 
(Laughter.)  Dr.  Steele  has  heon  billing  to  adopt  this  amend- 
ed Golden  iule.  (Laughter.) 

It  was  our  hope  that  re  would  have  with  us  tonight 
a man  who  has  known  .Dr.  Steel#  for  man;  years,  a broad  man, 
a man  for  many  years  connected  with  the  courts  of  the  state, 
a man  who  has  been  identified  with  a number  of  the  arbitration 
disputes  between  employers  and  employees.  I refer  to  Judge 
Hanoey,  but  an  hour  ago  we  received  word  that  the  judge  was 
sick  with  tonsillitis  and  could  not  he  here.  To  was  to  have 
spoken  of  "Dr.  Steele,  The  Citizen."  In  the  absence  of  Judge 
Hanoey,  I went  to  7'r.  Teter,  the  banker,  who  has  known  Dr. 

teele’ s activities  as  a business  nan,  and  asked  him  whether 
he  would  not  say  a few  words  regarding  Dr.  teele,  and  he 
kindly  consented  to  do  so.  It  therefore  gives  me  very  great 
pleasure  to  introduce  to  you  Mr*  :,ucius  Teter.  (Applause*) 

MB*  TITER:  Hr.  Toastmaster,  Dr.  teele,  and 
Gentlemen:  You  heard  from  the  head  of  the  table  about  the 
misery  up  there,  but  I assure  you,  all  the  misery  has  not 
been  at  the  head  of  the  table  during  the  last  h ur.  I have 
been  miserable  sine©  the  serving  of  the  oysters.  I t ho  light 
I would  get  over  here  to  one  side  and  have  a good  time,  but 
the  Toastmaster  notified  me  that  he  was  going  to  cal]  on  me 
to  .r.  ay  a few  words  with  reference  to  Dr.  Steele  as  a business 
man. 

It  seems  necessary  for  you  to  have  some  layman,  some 
thoroughly  unwashed,  unsterilized,  unpasteurisod  individual 


< 


I 


-19- 


to  come  here  and  act  as  a highly  wm  ruminant  of  the  occasion, 
(aughter,)  I regret  very  much  Judge  Eanecy  is  not  able  to 
be  here,  because  while  J am  almost  as  tall  as  he  is,  I cainot 
get  in  his  clothes,  but  might  rattle  around  in  his  shoes. 
(Laughter, ) 

You  ranted  a layman  to  come  here  and  speak  plainly 
to  you.  It  is  not  so  easy  to  talk  to  a group  of  professional 
men  as  it  is  to  a group  of  hankers.  If  you  were  all  bankers, 
I could  speak  more  fluently  than  I can  hope  to  do  tonight. 

Come  wo  Id  have  the  mental  reservation  of  thinking  out  loud, 
and  I assume  any  medical  man  in  addressing  this  group  would 
not  have  that  handicap  and  would  be  in  the  position  of  the 
darkey  I heard  about  the  other  dey  • I was  down  to  iiohmonl 
and  heard  the  Attorney  General  of  the  otato  tell  a story 
o me  thing  like  this  * c said,  you  know,  down  hero,  when  no 
think  of  a darkey , re  think  of  a mule,  and.  when  we  think 
of  a mule  and  of  a darkey,  rc  think  of  them  together.  an, 
after  driving  his  mule  two  miles,  stopped,  rent  into  a store, 
and  when  he  came  out  and  climbed  into  the  wagon  and  tried 
to  start  the  mule,  the  mule  would  not  move.  The  crowd 
gathered  around  to  tell  ;,em  all  the  different  rays  of  starting 
a mule,  such  as  throwing  sand  in  his  ears,  twisting  his  tail, 
etc.,  I have  driven  a mule,  so  I know  there  are  several 
more  rays,  (Laughter,)  The  mule  did*nt  move,  and  finally 
somebod,  rolled  out,  "ham,  1*11  tell  yon  how  to  star*  that 
mule.  You  get  a rope  and  rook,  tie  one  end  of  the  rope  to 

tli®  mule* 3 tail,  and  tie  the  stone  to  the  other  end.  o..  * e 


( 


< 


-20 


ropc  and  lot  It  hang,  and  the  mule  will  get  thinking  about 
the  rock  and  he  will  go  right  off,"  S ai.  said, "Insure  you, 

I'd  like  to  start  dat  male,  hut  let  him  whose  without  Din 
tie  the  first  stone."  (laughter.) 

I am  not  handicapped  in  that  way.  I presume  the 
reason  why  I am  here  tonight  is  because  I have  known  Dr. 

Steele  in  a personal  and  professional  way— for  we  are  beginning 
to  believe  re  are  a profession — for  many  years.  I v as  tolling 
hr.  goring  that  bankers  and  doctors  are  unprofessional- -at 
least,  some  of  them— and  wo  have  been  running  al onr  the  road 
together,  and  while  I have  not  been  practicing  banking  as 
long  as  Dr.  ftoelc  lias  been  practicing  medicine,  I began  to 
practice  human  life  Just  about  that  time,  and  so  we  have 
something  in  common. 

I have  known  Dr.  Steele  in  the  hank  and  have 
oome  to  know  him  quite  well  personally.  7/e  bankers  have  that 
in  common  with  doctors.  he  have  a very  close  relationship 
with:  individuals,  with  professional  men,  and  our  business 
relations  are  such  as  to  Justify  their  confidence  in  us.  In 
that  way  I have  known  hr.  Steele.  home  of  our  friends  started 
the  banking  business  forty- three  years  ago,  and  Dr. Steele 
was  one  of  our  first  patients.  Ton  see,  we  are  not  handicap! o d 
ethically;  wo  pay  three  por  cent,  on  savings,  (laughter.) 
e become  sort  of  banker-doctors,  or  dootors-bankors,  and  it 
is  a little  like  a man  learning  to  eat  olives,  he  must  be 
prepared  for  it.  The  banker  must  bo  prepared  to  deaL  with 

all  kinds  of  people.  The  doctor  is  often  willing  to  let 


' . 

. • 

. 

. 


, 

■ 

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. 


, 

■ 


. 


. 


• 

-21- 


people  wait,  but  he  never  wants'  to  at  ami  in  line.  You 
must  have  a r.ort  of  special  treatment  in  store  for  doctors, 
and  we  boiieve  ro  have  acquired  that  method.  In  other  words, 
we  are  prepare*  to  take  care  of  doctors.  I will  give  you  my 
address  in  a moment.  (laughter.) 

Dr.  Steele  put  into  our  hands  funds  for  collection 
for  hi©  ho  a ital , building  plans,  and  things  of  that  kind, 
lie  is  ono  of  the  tribe  that  has  shown  remarkable  business 
qualifications,  although  that  tribe  is  increasing.  Banter© 
know  someth!  g besides  that  which  the  doctor  himself  knows. 

It  is  entirely  natural,  and  I just  imparted  this  little 
secret  to  some  of  the  doctors  here.  It  is  natural  to  look 
upon  everyone  else  as  being  your  inferior  because  they  think 
you  are  dominating  over  them,  whether  prinoo  or  pauper*  I 
think  it  is  psychological  that  so  many  doctors  are  not  in- 
clines to  loan  on  other  people’s  Judgment  as  much  as  they  should, 
but  Dr.  Steele  never  assumed  that  he  know  , s much  about  the 
banking  business  as  some  of  the  rest  of  us  who  are  in  the 
business.  I want  to  commend  him  for  that.  Yhe  tribe  is 
increasing,  Vo  are  glad  to  see  it,  because  if  wo  are 
willing  to  trust  our  appendix  to  you,  you  ought  to  be  willing 
to  trust  your  dollars  to  us.  (Laughter.)  Dr,  Steele  has 
been  thoroughly  businesslike . Ho  has  either  met  loans 
on  the  day  they  wore  due  or  sought  renewal.  (laughter.)  He 
has  been  a good  citizen.  I did  not  expect  to  say  any!  ing 
on  this  subject,  but  that  is  where  it  co  os  in,  and  the  ^ntiro 


< 


( 


-22- 


conduct  of  his  relations  along  that  line  has  been,  I should 
sa;/,  one  hundred  per  cent.,  and  I put  a great  deal  of  on;  basis 

upon  it  because  it  in  unusual,  and  I say  to  any  of  on  who 

Wt  f • 

hesitate  about  lotting  us  handle  any  of  ;;our  shekels,  t 
would  be  outirel;  safe  to  let  Dr.  Gteclo  handle  then  Tor  ; ou. 

He  has  al wap 3 kept  Mo  word,  and  the  relationship  between 
the  doctor  and  hanker  has  grown  into  real  friendship.  ' hile 
I was  invited  to  be  here,  I was  very  glad  indeed  to  cone  as 
Dr,  r> tee  10*0  friend. 

One  or  two  things  said  by  the  previous  speakers 
interested  no  greatly.  Doctor:  as  a rule,  particular!  in 
times  past,  have  been  decidedly  individualistic.  That  is 
also,  I should  say,  psychological,  but  some  of  the  expressions 
used  by  the  previous  speakers  have  interested  me  in  shoving 
the  getting  together  spirit.  Dr.  Billings  ap  oke  of  develop- 

ing young  men.  That  is  distinctly  broad  minded.  Commercial- 
ly, it  is  a thing  all  of  us  have  to  do  to  build  up  institutions  • 
There  is  a greater  demand  for  young  men  now  than  even  before. 

De  want  to  bring  up  men  to  follow  us.  We  want  to  give  them 
an  opportunity , and  in  helping  the  young  men  it  is  not  going 
to  hurt  us  in  the  least  bit.  I was  very  glad  to  wake  a note 
of  that . The  marvel  of  all  marvels  i the  splendid  team 
work  which  made  it  possible  for  Dr.  nine,  who  is  not  as  old 
as  Dr.Dteele  (laughter),  end  Dr. Steele  to  accomplish  uo  much. 
Then,  if  you  remember,  Dr.  gui.no  spoke  of  community  of  interest  . 

How  surprising.  Community  of  interes-  is  s ^orn  1 


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hardly  crept  away  from  the  sacred  precincts  of  '.Tail  Street, 

hut  re  hoar  it  here,  and  what  communit  of  interest  is  and 

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what  it  may  develop  into . In  this  connection  I will  say  that 
Ians  are  under  way  for  the  "building  of  a Christian  Science 
Church  near  my  home  on  the  south  side  # I hope  whatever 
this  community  of  interest  may  develop  into,  it  will  not  he 
subject  to  attack  "by  the  Sherman  anti-trust  law. 

Speaking  of  the  Christian  Science  Church,  and  in 
bringing  these  rambling  remarks  to  a close  because  I have 
not  prepared  them,  I am  reminded  of  another  story  I heard  the 
other  day. 

A little  girl,  in  a Christian  Science  home  on  the 
South  side,  came  rushing  into  the  living  room,  and  said, 
"Mother,  I just  had  a terrible  thing  happen."  nWhat  was  it, 
darling?"  "I  fell  down  the  front  stairs."  "Hy,  were  you  hurt?" 

"Oh,  no,  not  at  all,  not  at  all.  As  I went  $hump,  thump, 
thump,  down  the  stairs,  I said  truth,  truth,  truth, and  I got 
up  and  I was'nt  hurt  a bit.  But,"  she  says , "Mother,  I am 
dreadfully  afraid  I am  hurt."  "Why?"  "Because  I heard  some 
one  "*ay — when  I fell  over  and  vent  t hump, t hump , thump — error, 

error, error."  (Laughter.) 

Although  I cannot  claim  to  be  any  nearer  to  the 
medical  profession  than  I find  myself  tonight,  I am  sure  I 
yield  to  no  one  here  in  ray  admiration  and  pleasure  in  t airing 
part  in  this  occasion  in  honor  of  Dr, Steele . (Applause.) 


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SIR’S  T0ASKIA3TISR:  I learned  late  this  afternoon 

that  a cousin  of  Dr. Steele’s  was  in  tow,  and  It  seemed  too 
rood  an  opportunity  to  lose  to  get  a response  to  the  toast 
of  ’’Dr.  Steele  as  A Relative.”  I can  assure  you,  that  all  the 
accomplishments  jf  the  Itecles  are  not  centered  in  the  guest 
of  the  evening.  I think  his  cousin  will  demonstrate  that 
some  of  these  accomplishments  are  in  other  members  of  the 
family,  and  I call  upon  hr. Charles  nteele,  of  Detroit  to  speak 
of  Dr.  ft eele  as  a cousin.  (Applause.) 

KR.  STEELS:  hr.  Toastmaster,  Dr.  Steele,  and 
Gentlemen*  There  are  two  prerequisites  I have  found  in 
being  a relative  of  Dr.  Steele,  one  is  occasionally  I have 
the  honor  of  being  called  Dr.  Steele  myself,  an  honor  to 
which  I am  not  entitled,  and  the  ot  er  is  the  pleasure  of 
being  infrequently  a guest  at  the  doctor’s  house,  and  in  that 
capacity  1 have  had  the  opportunity  of  seeing  the  doctor  at 
work  and  of  having  seen  some  of  the  amusing  incidents  that 
occur  in  the  doctor’s  life. 

The  other  day,  while  I ra.  at  the  doctor’s  house, 
a woman  came  into  the  office  and  said,  "Doctor,  I have  a 
terrible  corn  I would  like  to  have  you  remove."  She  had 
boon  a patient  for  mans', many  years,  and  was  an  old  friend.  The 
doctor  said,  "Why  lira.  So-and-So,  I dont  do  that  any  more. 

It  is  a long  time  since  I have  condescended  to  remove  a corn." 
And  he  said  ho  would  not  do  it.  But  the  woman  persisted 
and  urged  him,  and  finally,  being  an  old  friend,  he  said,  "All 


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right,  I will#"  ho  c topped  into  the  office  and  removed 
her  shoos  and  stockings.  In  the  meantime, something  happened 
so  that  the  doctor  was  detained  in  coming  back  to  take  care 
of  the  patient,  and  when  he  vent  into  the  office  ho  was 
surprised*  'To  found  the  roman  had  not  only  removed  her  shoes 
and  'stocking 'a,  but  some  of  her  other  garments,  and  Dr.’teele 
being  a modest  man  said,  "I!y  good,  r oman,  what  is  this?  I tolcl 
; on  to  remove  pour  shoes  and  stockings  so  that  T could  treat 
the  corn.”  he  replied,  •doctor,  I know  where  this  corn  is  ; 

I have  boon  driving  a Ford  for  the  last  five  months (Laughton) 

The  dtoolo’s  are  cotch,  and  yesterday  ? rao  tolling 
the  doctor  about  a ootohman’s  p eager  which  amused  him  very 
much  and  on;  entertain  you.  This  Scotchman  cane  over  to 
Canada  and  settled  in  that  country  and  rao  very  much  disappoint- 
ed. no  unday,  while  attending  the  i'rogby torian  huroh, 

as  the  toelos  do,  he  arose  and.  offered  pray-  r as  follows: 

" O.Lord,  when  re  cam*  oot  to  this  country,  re 
ezpecMt  to  find  a land  florin*  wi  * milk  and  honey.  But  instead 
re  hae  come  to  a country  peopled  ri * ungodly  Irish.  Scoor 
thim  oot,  0 Lord,  scoor  thim  oot.  Drag  thim  oer  the  mooth  o* 
the  bottomless  pit,  but  dinna  let  thim  drap  in.  Fak  thim  to 
be  herers  o’  rood  and  drarers  o’  rater  for  their  brithren. 

Dinna  mak*  thim  magistrates  or  members  o perleraint  or  rulers 
o*  ony  kind.  And,  0 Lord,  gin  Ye  hae  any  lands  to  bestow,  gie 
thim  a*  to  Thin  ain  peculiar  people,  the  scotch.  And  a'  the 
praise  and  a’  the  glory  shall  be  Thine,  Amen." 


( Laughter .} 


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Now,  gentlemen,  there  are  a lot  of  things  as  a 
'elative  of  Dr.  Steele* s I could  say — things,  however,  that 
would  he,  perhaps  , inappropriate  to  say  publicly  at  this 
time  and  place,  and  really  it  is  unnecessary  that  I should 
speak.  ' ou  are  all  his  friends.  You  know  the  quality  of 
his  friendship,  his  sympathy,  his  kindness,  his  helpfulness. 

Take  those  qualities  and  raise  them  to  the  highest  degree 
and  you  have  Dr.  Steele  as  a relative.  (Applause.) 

DR.  CHARLES  SPENCER  f ILL  I AM  son  read  telegrams  and 
letters  from  several  of  Dr. Steele’s  friends  who  were  unable 
to  attend  the  dinner, 

DR.  WILLIAMSON  presented  Dr.  teele  with  a beautiful 
testimonial  album  signed  Ty  eighty* four  of  Ms  friends,  after 
which  the  audience  sang  "Far  He’s  A Jolly  Good  Fellow.” 

I i 

THE  TOASTMASTER:  You  will  pardon  me  if  I refer 

again  to  one  of  the  dialogues  of  Plato,  the  most  prominent 
of  all,  the  banquet,  where  the  various  members  of  the  company 
speak  of  love,  and  allow  me  to  read  the  delightful,  the 
beautiful  saying  of  Agathan  on  that  occasl  on.  ’’Love  fills 
man  with  affection,  and  takes  away  disaffection,  making  them 
to  meet  together  at  such  oanquets  as  these.  In  sacrifices, 
feasts,  dances,  he  is  one  lord,  supplying  kindness  and  banish- 
ing unkindness,  givinr  friendship  and  forgiving  enmity.  The 
Joy,  good,  wonder,  amazement , desired  by  those  who  have  no 
part  in  him  and  precious  to  those  who  have  a better  part  in  him  . 
Parent , del icaoy .luxury, desire , fondness .softness, grace, regard  ful 
of  the  good,  regardless  of  the  evil.  In  every  word,  work, wish. 


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fear;  pilot,  comrade,  helper, savior , glory  of  gods  and  men. 
Leader,  host  and  brightest,  in  whose  footsteps  let  every  man 
follow,  sweetly  singing  in  his  honor  that  sweet  strain  with 
which  love  charms  the  souls  of  gods  and  men.  (Applause.) 

Let  me  say  to  you,  that  is  the  sentiment  that  has 
inspired  this  evening,  and  let  me  also  remind  you  of  the 
saying  of  Francis  Bacon;  "No  man  irnparteth  his  joys  to  his 
friend  hut  he  joineth  more,  and  no  man  that  irnparteth  his 
griefs  to  his  friend  hut  he  grieveth  less." 

Dr.  Steele,  will  you  speak  to  us. 

DR.  STEELE,  on  rising,  was  enthusiastically 
received.  He  said;  Mr.  Toastmaster  and  Friends;  Such  an 
occasion  as  this  comes  into  a man's  life  but  seldom,  and  I 
am  the  least  worthy  of  all.  It  seems  that  a man  who  has  gone 
about  his  work  from  day  to  day  and  attended  to  that  work 
as  best  he  could,  was  only  doing  what  each  one  of  you  is  doing; 
that  every  man  here  is  my  equal,  many  here  my  superiors  in 
all  sorts  of  attainments,  and  the  proudest  thing  I have  to 
think  of  is  it  was  simply  environment,  circumstances  that 
were  entirely  beyond  my  control  that  perhaps  make  it  possible 
for  some  of  you  here  to  pay  me  this  signal  honor.  Of  good 
parentage,  of  clean  birth,  of  optimistic  disposition  or  temper- 
ament, and  just  enough  Scotch  in  me  to  know  when  I was  licked. 
To  fight  when  the  odds  were  always  apparently  insurmountable, 

I was  always  perhaps  aided  in  making  a struggle  for  an  object 

or  for  something  in  which  I was  greatly  interested  in  carrying 


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to  completion  and  perfection  by  the  story  that  is  told  of 
Grant,  Tie  was  a very  successful  soldier.  He  led  his  army 
up  the  hill  and  defeated  the  enemy  during  the  Civil  'far, 
and  he  was  complimented  on  Ilia  bravery  in  making  ouch  a 
successful  fight#  "But, " he  said,  "I  res  not  brave;  m;  kneos 
'.  ere  shaking*  I did  not  see  how  many  of  the  enemy  there  wore 
until  I got  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  when  I found  I had 
more  cannons  and  more  soldiers  than  the  enemy  had,  then  I was 
bi'avo#” 

I have  often  been  timid  and  fearful  of  the  outcome 
of  certain  struggles,  but  when  X looked  around  upon  my  loyal 
and  true  friends  who  wore  behind  me  In  these  enterprises, 
who  gave  me  support  da;,  by  day  and  night  by  night,  I feel  that 
all  the  honcr  is  not  due  to  me#  It  does  not  belong  to  me 
any  more  than  it  does  to  my  friends,  not  nearly  as  much. 

Friendship  has  always  been  a part  of  my  make-up , 

I am  not  a clubSSSbe  nan — I mean  a good  fellow  and  all  that 
the  toastmaster  and  others  have  said.  I have  my  cigarette 
and  cigar  here,  and  yet  oil  these  ashos  you  nee  belong  to 
Dr#  Billings  and  Dr.  Bacon  and  Dr.  Quine  on  the  other  side. 

All  of  you  value  friendship.  "Let  me  ever  be  the  first,  truest, 
best  and  dearest  friend  to  you  all."  That  is  a quotation  from 
Longfellow,  and  it  is  applicable  to  this  occasion.  And  I may 
sa;  with  mors  on: 

"A  day  for  toil, an  hour  for  sport. 

But  for  a friend,  life  is  too  short." 


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I trust  the  example  of  this  meeting;  tonight  shall 
last  through  your  lifetime,  but  my  lifetime  is  too  short  to 
show  the  friendship  I feel  for  everyone  present. 

Around  this  table  I see  not  only  my  old  teacher 
Quine,  but  my  old  classmates  Byford  and  Doering,  and  my 
former  pupils,  who  have  far  outstripped  mo  in  the  race  for 
success  and  honor  and  position.  Billings  on  m.  right  compli- 
mented me  by  saying  I taught  him  physical  diagnosis  and  other 
things  in  the  early  years.  One  of  the  happiest  recollections 
I have  of  those  days  was  when  I was  trying  it  on  the  young 
fellows  to  see  whether  I could  teach  or  not.  A group  of 
twelve  men  represented  by  Billings  and  some  of  hip  associates 
came  over  to  my  office  down  at  Eighteenth  Street  and  State, 
a disreputable  part  of  the  city  now,  and  presented  me  with 
a handsomely  engrossed  volume  of"Virchowfs  Pathology?  Billings 
started  me  right,  you  see. 

What  Dr.  Billings  has  said  in  regard  to  the  incentive 
for  the  development  of  my  character  and  reputation,  whatever 
they  may  be,  was  to  a very  large  extent  due  to  the  influence 
of  my  mother,  and  second  to  that  of  my  mother  my  wife,  and 
then  the  influence  and  example  of  those  old  teachers  in  the 
Northwest  em  University  Medical  School,  then  the  Chicago  Medical 
College.  I revere  Davis,  Andrews,  Byford,  Holer,  and  all 
the  men  whose  names  I need  not  mention,  as  the  great  men  of 
that  age.  They  were  idealistic.  They  taught  us  not  only 
medicine  and  surgery,  but  they  taught  us  ethics  in  their  daily 

lives  by  precept  and  by  example.  They  were  high-minded  gentlenen. 


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I believe  their  influence  is  felt  just  eg  much  to  lay  as  it 
was  then.  ith  the  ' development  of  Dr.  ..nine,  who  has  been 
an  admirer  and  follower  of  the  cider  Davis,  bo  much  bo  re  have 
often  thought  it  was  Davis  rejuvenated.  Tie  had  such  an 
influence  upon  Dr.  nine’s  life.  if  hie  group  of  men  havo  had 
a great  influence  on  my  life.  I do  not  follow  any  one  of  them, 
but  admire  all  of  thorn.  I take  the  good  things  as  they  come 
to  me  just  like  the  old  colored  lady  said  when  she  was  about 
to  die.  I’.he  said,  nI*se  gwine  ter  be  a Cherubim,  and  flit 
from  Seraphim  to  ; eraphim,  suckin'  honey  from  ev’ry  flower.” 
(Laughter.)  So  I got  something  good  from  each  of  . y old  teach- 
ers. I absorbed  some  of  it  and  have  made  it  a part  of  my- 
self so  far  as  I could. 

As  to  the  compliments  paid  to  the  ; oung  old  man, 

I wish  to  say  that  I have  always  mingled  with  the  young  men. 

I have  caught  inspiration  from  them  from  their  enthusiasm, 
from  their  loyalty,  from  their  fidelity  and  work,  and  if  there 
is  anything  that  will  keep  a man  wide  awoke  and  make  him  a 
live  wire,  it  is  to  stand  before  a body  of  intelligent  medical 
students.  If  there  are  any  weak  spots  they  will  detect  them. 
If  you  are  wise  enough  to  know  your  own  weak  spots,  you  will 
get  along  with  them  very  well. 

In  all  theso  matters  I feel  this  signal  honor  has 
not  been  earned.  It  has  just  happened.  It  has  come  to  z:e 
not  because  1 really  deserve  it,  but  because  of  force  of  cir- 
cumstances I have  boon  placed  in  position  to  do  a certain 


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amount  of  wo  rk,  and  I n tar  ted  out  to  do  It  an  bunt  I could, 
and  with  the  help  of  .you  good  friends  I have  in  a measure 
succeeded,  and  I hope  Dr.  Billinas,  when  he  takes  up  the 
burdens  I am  leaving  off,  will  unite  lush  College  with  the 
University  of  Illinois  and  make  it  a great  school,  (Loud 
applause . ) 


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